The minutes of the previous meeting held on the 30^th April 2021 were agreed as a correct record subject to the insertion at minute 10/21 of the words North Lees Heritage between the words Stanage and Action Group.

There was no urgent business.

Members are asked to declare any disclosable pecuniary, personal or prejudicial interests they may have in relation to items on the agenda for this meeting.

Item 6

Cllr McCloy declared that as Chair of National Parks England and also the NPE’s Climate Change Sub Group, he had been involved in drawing up the delivery plan for Climate Leadership.

To note any questions or to receive any statements, representations, deputations and petitions which relate to the published reports on Part A of the Agenda.

No members of the public had given notice to make representations to the committee.

The Head of Information and Performance Management introduced the report which updated Members about National Parks England’s delivery Plan for Climate Leadership in National Parks.  The Chief Executive  confirmed that further updates on the 3 other NPE Delivery Plans would come to the committee as follows:

·         December 2021          Nature Recovery

·         January 2022              National Parks for All

·         April 2022                    Future of Farming

The Climate Change Member Steering Group and the National Park Management Plan and Corporate Staregy Member Task and Finish Group were confirmed to be coordinating their work in order to put climate change at the front and centre of the National Park Management Plan. 

The Head of Information and Performance Management confirmed that National Park Authorities have begun to work together to establish a baseline of  carbon emissions for their National Park.  This Authority’s target is to achieve net zero by 2050 at the latest.

Members requested a figure for the budget and staff time currently being dedicated to Climate Change.  The Chief Executive confirmed that there is not a simple answer to this as the work was embedded across the Authority, but she would research a “ball park” figure.  The Authority was also working with partners to encourage sustainable transport by endeavouring to influence neighbouring developing Local Authority’s Bus Service Improvement Plans, to take visitors into consideration as well as commuters.  The CEO requested that Local Authority Members raise this with their constituent authorities.

The recommendation as set out in the report was moved and seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

To note how the Authority is currently taking forward National Parks England’s Delivery Plan for Climate Leadership in the Peak District and how it is informing our future National Park Management Plan

The report was introduced by the Head of Information and Performance Management. The report informed Members about the context, purpose and progress with the current consumption based assessment of the Peak District National Park’s carbon footprint, which is being undertaken by Small World Consulting.

The recommendation as set out in the report was moved and seconded.

Members noted that a large proportion of the emissions in the National Park come from Hope Valley Cement Works.  The CEO advised that she would check with the Environment Agency what measures they take in respect of requiring/encouraging carbon mitigation measure at the cement works.

The Head of Information and Performance Management confirmed that the information from Small World Consulting will provide evidence to underpin the National Park Management Plan review, and that all efforts are being made to ensure that their findings arrive in time for this.

The motion to approve the recommendation was put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

To note the work currently being undertaken by Small World Consulting to develop a consumption based carbon footprint for the Peak District National Park that is consistent with other National Park Authorities.

The report, which detailed the Authority’s progress towards its goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, was introduced by the Corporate Property Team Manager.

He also confirmed the following

·         That the figures did not take into account the carbon generated in taking climate change mitigation measures, e.g. in renovating buildings or replacing fleet vehicles, because this information was not currently readily available.

·         That the Authority was working with Peak District EQM (Environmental Quality Mark) to get information on Scope 3 emissions on Authority land.

·         That the Authority was working on a communication plan for this work which would include case studies being put on the Authority website.

·         The data included travel by Members

The recommendation as set out in the report was moved and seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

That the environmental performance data detailed in Appendix 1 of the report, is considered and adopted as the detail supporting the position on the Authority’s operational environmental performance over the 2020/21 reporting period.

The report, which detailed the proposal to extend peatland restoration works in the Dark Peak and South Pennines, working through a grant delivered from the climate for Nature Fund, was presented by the Head of the Moors for the Future Partnership (MFFP) and the MFFP Programme Manager.

Officers explained that the priority order of sites was decided based on a variety of factors including staff capacity, and coordination with the Partnership’s other works.  The works proposed in this report were ambitious but Officers were confident that they could be done within the timescale set.  DEFRA were supportive of the scale of the proposals.  The Partnership’s work covers land in the jurisdiction and ownership of many councils and other bodies, and this enables an approach which is more coordinated than when all these organisations work separately.   Whether these Authorities could make a greater contribution to the work of the Partnership was currently being investigated.

Officers also confirmed that bidding for funds can be a difficult and time consuming process, so additional income sources have been found, e.g.  the Partnership also had funding agreements with water companies who invest in restoration work because of carbon and biodiversity benefits, which improve drinking water provision.

Cllr Woods left the meeting at 12.15 and Ms Witter left at 12.20.

A request was made by the CEO for Members to encourage their constituent Authorities to look at nature based solutions to issues such as carbon, health and flood defences and how they might financially support this important peatland restoration work.

The recommendations as set out in the report were moved and seconded, put to the vote and carried.

RESOLVED:

1. To support the application to the Nature for Climate Fund Peatland Capital Grant scheme for a Discovery grant and further applications up to a ceiling of £8m of funding for the project to operate to the end of the 2025 – 2026 financial year.

 2. Specifically:

• Approval of acceptance of up to £935,000 from the Nature for Climate Fund in respect of the initial Discovery grant bid with acceptance of the grant offer delegated to the Head of Moors for the Future Partnership in consultation with Head of Law and Chief Finance Officer
• Support of further Discovery and Restoration bids to the Nature for Climate Fund and acceptance of funding from the fund, and match funding (if successful) up to a ceiling of £8 million (including the initial Discovery grant bid) to operate further projects within the scheme to the end of financial year 2025/26 (i.e. 31 March 2026)
• Acceptance of Discovery and Restoration grant offers from the Nature for Climate Fund from Defra delegated to the Head of Moors for the Future Partnership in consultation with the Head of Law and Chief Finance Officer
• Acceptance of new partnering agreements to deliver the projects within the fund delegated to the Head of Moors for the Future Partnership in consultation with the Head of Law and Chief Finance Officer
• The Authority may, subject to compliance with its  ...  view the full minutes text for item 30/21

RESOLVED:

To note the notes of the meetings of the Member Climate Change Task Group held on the 21 April and 13 July 2021.